Me and him?

There are special terms and conditions with the "18 and older" law that deem couples that exist prior to a person turning 18 as legal.
You should be fine.

I will warn you though - be sure your parents are involved in this "meet up." Whether that just means you clear it with both parties first, or they come with you the first time you meet him, they need to be involved and give there consent, or else it can BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL.

I also recommend that you not have sex the first 1-2 times you meet.
1) You're young
2) You're meeting for the first time IRL
3) While it seems like you know this person after 1-2 years via the internet, they can be radically different IRL

I've dealt with LDR meet-ups personally, and I know how much of a head-ache it is to involve your parents, but you need to be cautious and conscious of the risks it involves.
If you truly are in love, then you will have years and years to do what you want when you're both above 18.

 

I found a big list of state ages of consent here: http://globaljusticeinitiative.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/united-states-age-of-consent-table11.pdf

Now, in Indiana, it says the legal age of consent for sexual activity is 16, and the age difference for two people when one is under 18 is 4 years. I'm sure the same thing would go with relationships, so you should be fine. I would at least try to make sure your parents are fine with anything you two might do(if it gets to there), if you can, and his as well, if possible.

I would be careful if you two were to meet up, and would take a friend or two with you, if not your parents, and meet up in a fairly public place.

Just remember to be safe, because your safety is above all else.

 

Jakehas,
type "ages of consent in north america wiki" into google and click the wikipedia entry, it sorts out all the different countries and states in the US.
Also you might want to google and read about "close in age exemption".
Most states have special conditional clauses called close in age exemptions so people who are nearly the same age aren't held liable in court, each state is different though, but basically you probably won't have to worry too much unless the person is 4-5 years older than you.
Definitely talk to your parents, as long as you explain you've been friends online for a long time and the person you wanna meet isn't like 30 or something, I imagine they'd probably be cool with it and maybe even help you out with traveling/hosting issues.

 

Wow this is so weird lol I was looking at past answers on my page and it was under a thread I made about struggling in my LDR and greatwhale responded that I should find you cause we were kind of in the same boat. End of the story we are in almost the same exact boat, I am 15 and worried about meeting my girlfriend for the first time cause I don't know if my parents will approve because she is 17. Any way if you ever need to talk I am here and can most likely relate.

 

Kinda/sorta the wiki page wasn't that good the last time I read it:


Jake,

you have nothing to worry about as Indiana has a "close in age" law. Once you turn 14, you may date anyone up to 4 years older than you without penalty(the other person can't be 18 aka 17 or less). However, once you turn 16 no such restrictions apply. AKA you may date anyone of any age. However, dating a 60 y/o at age 16 might turn some heads....

IC 35-42-4

 

There is no law forbidding a 15 y/o and an 18 y/o from meeting.

In most states, the romeo-and-juliet laws in place allow a maximum of 3 years difference to allow sexual relations. Anything greater and the elder party will be liable to statutory rape charge.

Beyond that, obvious interactions must be done thoughtfully. I will research the sexual relation statues in Indiana so you can get a more scholarly answer than you are receiving here.

 

there is.....#fail on my part 15 and 18 are not allowed. maybe this is a better format:

FOR INDIANA
<14 = no sex/dating for you
14-15 = The older party has to be less than or equal to 17
16< = act like bunnies with whoever you want.....

 

Okay, please bear with me for all this legal jargon.

First, I am not a licensed attorney for the state of Oregon nor Indiana so any summaries or advice I provide are without official sanction by the American Bar Association. By stating this, I will not be liable for any emotional, physical, or intellectual injuries that result because of any summaries or advice.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

Using the national legal database I am subscribed to, I was able to find the official Indiana State Code regarding rape. Due to the excess of legal jargon and career-technical words, I will provide a brief annotated bibliography of it.

Indiana Code § 35-42-4-3

Any person who preforms or submits to sexual intercourse or deviant sexual conduct with an individual under fourteen (14) years of age.

Furthermore, it is a Class A Felony if committed by a person older than twenty (20) years of age, using threat of deadly force or armed with a deadly weapon, or furnishing the victim with a drug (defined in Indiana Code § 16-42-19-2(1).

It is a legal defense that the alleged criminal committed this rape with someone who was reasonably presumed sixteen (16) years of age unless using threat of deadly force or armed with a deadly weapon, or furnishing the victim with a drug.

Additionally, any person who “… knowingly or intentionally manages, produces, sponsors, presents, exhibits, photographs, films, videotapes, or creates a digitized image of any performance or incident that includes sexual conduct by a child under eighteen (18) years of age” (Indiana Code § 35-42-4-4, Ver. A) will be charged with child molestation.

The most applicable IC section to you would be THIS:

Indiana Code § 35-42-4-9, Ver. A

“A person at least eighteen (18) years of age who, with a child at least fourteen (14) years of age but less than sixteen (16) years of age, preforms or submits to sexual intercourse of deviate sexual conduct commits SEXUAL MISCONDUCT with MINOR, a CLASS C FELONY.”

 

There is a few more applicable sections, but just for the record your liability statement applies to myself as well.